The disfunction and lack of trust in the nation’s judiciary has once again been brought to light by retired Justice of the Supreme Court Musa Dattijo’s concern over the absence of justices from the South-East and North-Central areas on the bench. The authorities ought to take the jurist’s observation—as well as others—very seriously.
All six geopolitical zones must be represented on the highest court, given the recent resolution by the Supreme Court of the contentious case surrounding the results of the 2023 presidential election. Without further ado, all 21 of its justices ought to be chosen.
Dattijo bemoaned the lack of a successor for the South-East justice, who passed away more over two years ago, during the ceremony held in his honor. The North-Central, he claimed, was similarly underrepresented. “All geopolitical zones are required to participate in the hearing in order to ensure justice and transparency in presidential appeals from the lower court,” he reiterated. Therefore, it poses a threat to democracy and equity for decisions that would have an impact on the majority of Nigerians if two entire areas are excluded.
He bemoaned the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s disproportionate powers, pointing out that the CJN might easily abuse his position given his jurisdiction over multiple judicial bodies and the way the CJN is now set up.
The National Judicial Council, which is in charge of approving and disciplining judges, is chaired by the Chief Justice of the Nation. In addition, he chairs the National Judicial Institute, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, which selects Nigeria’s Senior Advocates, and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
He pointed out that the powers could be exploited because the CJN “neither confers with fellow justices nor seeks their counsel or input on any matter related to these bodies.”
When the then-CJN meddled in the Sokoto Appeal Court Tribunal and then went on to harass the then-President of the Court of Appeal out of office, Nigerians experienced this kind of abuse of power in 2011.
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